Supplements/Reco 2011

**Rach75** · July 5th, 2011, 09:23 AM

ok we get FTB NO FTA... Jack started kindy this year and they have given me CCR RECEIPTS what are they for and what do we do with them

**Girl-23** · July 5th, 2011, 06:15 PM

FTBA supplement - around $725 per child
FTBB supplement - around $345 per family

When will these payments be made?

**briggsy's girl** · July 5th, 2011, 06:16 PM

I am the higher income earner and I estimated my income at $38000. DP's was estimated at $20000. So combined we had an estimate of $58000.

I earnt higher than my estimated income but DP earnt lower than his estimated imcome. So combined we only earnt $54000.
So overall we are lower than our combined estimated income.

Does this mean that we may be entitled to more money back from FAO because the lower income earnings (which I believe a lot of the rates are often based on) was much lower than the estimate?

long answer short, yes, you should get a bit of an ftba top up as you have overestimated your combined income - hard to say how much at this point though

this doesn't always happen though - if you receive ftbb and this is the income you underestimate, even though your combined estimate may be lower, you may have an ftbb over payment so it has to be calculated to know the outcome

**briggsy's girl** · July 5th, 2011, 06:19 PM

ok we get FTB NO FTA... Jack started kindy this year and they have given me CCR RECEIPTS what are they for and what do we do with them

Rach, CCR receipts would be referring to registered child care. if both yourself and your partner are working/studying/training for at least 15 hours per week, you can claim a portion of this back. works out to a bit over 60cents an hour

FTBA supplement - around $725 per child
FTBB supplement - around $345 per family

When will these payments be made?

there is no set payment time - is going to depend on when you do your taxes and when the ATO send the information to FAO. it's all explained in that opening post

**Rach75** · July 5th, 2011, 08:50 PM

so because I dont work we do nothing with them ??

**RainbowBrite** · July 5th, 2011, 09:20 PM

Mine is all over the place this year.
I did not work at all this year.
I have received FTBa and FTBb for the whole year for 4, the 5th turned 16 in March so is on youth allowance into my account, the two middle boys where share care both of us receiving something, up until September when he passed away.
I became single in Jan 2011 and received full pension and payments, I also received some child support.
I am a little confused, as far as I know I did not earn any taxable income.
Sorry if it is all over the place, I am not sure what I need to do.

**briggsy's girl** · July 5th, 2011, 09:47 PM

I am a little confused, as far as I know I did not earn any taxable income.
Sorry if it is all over the place, I am not sure what I need to do.

if you received parenting payment partnered, parenting payment single, carer payment (not allowance), newstart, disability pension - you will need to notify if you're not lodging a tax return. it sounds seriously messy and is probably only going to make sense if someone is looking direct at your file to see the payments you've received.

**bridgette** · July 5th, 2011, 10:37 PM

I am the higher income earner and I estimated my income at $38000. DP's was estimated at $20000. So combined we had an estimate of $58000.

I earnt higher than my estimated income but DP earnt lower than his estimated imcome. So combined we only earnt $54000.
So overall we are lower than our combined estimated income.

Does this mean that we may be entitled to more money back from FAO because the lower income earnings (which I believe a lot of the rates are often based on) was much lower than the estimate?

Hi Alibaby,

Yes, you are right

Just to clarify, your FTBa is based on combined income, if you overestimated there (which you would have at a combined income estimate of $58000, but actual income is $54000), then you may be eligible for a 'top up' of FTBa.

As you have also over estimated your partner's income, and as he is the lower income earner, you may be entitled to a 'top up' of FTBb. For FTBb, you receive max entitlement if the lower income earner's income is below approx $4700, it starts to decrease after $4700, and cuts out when the lower income earner earns approx $24000 (in the situation that the youngest child in care is below 5yrs old, that higher income parent's income is below $150000 etc etc)

I'm sorry, I can't recall the exact thresholds for FTBb, they are listed in the 'Guide to Payments' booklet available on the centrelink website. The Guide is a very good resource for all the figures and amounts!

I would hate for you to worry about a debt - based purely on what you have advised, I do not believe you would have a debt, and I believe you may be eligible to arrears for both FTBa and FTBb. I am unsure if you are renting, but if you are, perhaps also check your eligibility for rent assistance. I know how much I stress about debts! HTH

**RainbowBrite** · July 5th, 2011, 11:20 PM

if you received parenting payment partnered, parenting payment single, carer payment (not allowance), newstart, disability pension - you will need to notify if you're not lodging a tax return. it sounds seriously messy and is probably only going to make sense if someone is looking direct at your file to see the payments you've received.

Thank you so much for reading and responding....sorry I am not very good at writing everything down properly.
It is messy (a little like my life

)
I think I might set my self up with the phone and a cuppa when the kids are asleep and see if I can get it sorted.
Thanks again

**jesses_girl** · July 6th, 2011, 12:30 AM

Hi! I dont really understand my estimation thing i do of dps income. I estimate his entire income for the year but every fortnight i call up and tell them how much hes earnt for the f/n. Is it both of these things that i need to be spot on for? What if i overestimate the f/n calls but underestimate the yearly estimate or vice verca. Also i dont work and i have my income as 15000 i think. I was at one point advised by centrelink that because i wasnt working i wasnt earning an income so i put it as zero, but then i rung them about 2 months later and another person said i owed them money for overpayments for 4 fortnights? So $100 has come out of my payments each fortnight to pay it off. He said there wasnt any other way i could do it, it had to be done that way and it had to be $100. So i think im asking- What am i supposed to be overestimating to avoid a debt, fn calls, yearly estimate or both? And why am i the only one out of all my friends that has to ring up every fortnight? And... Should i really be putting an income down? Does centrelink class government payments as in 'income'?

**Kamarine** · July 6th, 2011, 12:45 AM

Do you mind if I query the new proviso of the four year old check?
I had a quick peek at the website and it said the health check needs to be done if the babe is turning four. Yet I don't understand the parameters for turning four. Is it this calendar year 2011 or this financial year 11/12?

Sorry if it seems obvious.. It hadn't crossed my mind as she's four in Jan 2012, but then I got a stray thought of maybe it's upcoming since the wording is 'turning four' not 'turned four'.

Thanks...

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**Pandora** · July 6th, 2011, 01:02 AM

Jessesgirl

I think it depends which payments you are receiving, the fortnightly reporting thing.
Some payments are taxable I think, so count as income ( at least I think income support payments anyway)

**Gigi** · July 6th, 2011, 01:21 AM

i have a similar query as Kamarine.

bilby turned four Nov 2010, i got her "four year old health check" done 1 july 2011. (she turns five Nov 2011).
Was there a time limit for the check? have i met the requirement? I didn't even know about the four year old check until a few weeks ago, when i saw a poster, then asked about it. Should i be concerned about calendar year, financial year as Kamarine mentioned?

***found this on the CL site - i put "four year old health check" in the search window
If your child is turning four years old and you and/or your partner receive an income support payment from Centrelink or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, your supplement may be withheld if your child does not undergo a health check to ensure they are healthy, fit and ready to learn when they start school or you fail to advise the Family Assistance Office that your child has undergone a health check.

So, now i get the relevance, it is my responsibility to contact FAO and tell them that bilby has had her four year old check.***

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about the non-lodgement thing
i guess this is a "phone morning thing".
is the order, ring ATO first, then FAO? with regard to advising non-lodgement?
I'm assuming i'm meant to tell the FAO i won't be lodging a tax return, not CL?
Not 100% sure why i'm meant to do this, but get the gist from this thread, that i should be doing that.

bilby becomes very demanding when i'm on the phone, like she'll play happily, UNTIL i get a real life human being on the line, and then she is very needy and loud, so i can't hear the real live person, who i've just waited a long time to speak to (on hold). i set her up with activity, food and drink and still she does this.

can i send a written letter to the FAO, advising non-lodgement, to avoid the busy phone period? i cannot remember my CL website passwords, otherwise i would attempt doing it online.

**bridgette** · July 6th, 2011, 02:47 AM

Hi! I dont really understand my estimation thing i do of dps income. I estimate his entire income for the year but every fortnight i call up and tell them how much hes earnt for the f/n. Is it both of these things that i need to be spot on for? What if i overestimate the f/n calls but underestimate the yearly estimate or vice verca. Also i dont work and i have my income as 15000 i think. I was at one point advised by centrelink that because i wasnt working i wasnt earning an income so i put it as zero, but then i rung them about 2 months later and another person said i owed them money for overpayments for 4 fortnights? So $100 has come out of my payments each fortnight to pay it off. He said there wasnt any other way i could do it, it had to be done that way and it had to be $100. So i think im asking- What am i supposed to be overestimating to avoid a debt, fn calls, yearly estimate or both? And why am i the only one out of all my friends that has to ring up every fortnight? And... Should i really be putting an income down? Does centrelink class government payments as in 'income'?

As you have not advised what money you receive, I'm going to guess that you receive an income support payment - ISP (such as parenting payment, newstart allowance, pension etc) and FTB.

For ISP, reporting fortnightly is to ensure you are paid the correct amount each fortnight based on the income (or asset) test. It is best to be as accurate as possible, so working off payslips, or working out fortnightly earnings based on number of hours x hourly rate is generally the most effective.

You may not be receiving much ISP if your partner is working, however you need to estimate what income you expect to receive over the financial year for FTB. It would have been incorrect for you to have $0 recorded if you are receiving some sort of ISP each fortnight - even if it is only $50/fortnight. The reason that $15000 may have been recorded, is that this is the max amount of ISP you would generally receive over a FY. It is best to estimate your income as accurately as possible to ensure you receive the correct payments each fortnight, however if this is not possible, then it is best to overestimate to avoid you receiving overpayments.

Income for FTB is not just from working, it includes taxable ISP, non taxable ISP (such as Disability Pension and Carers pension), interest earned, rental income, foreign income, etc etc.

Sorry to waffle on, to answer your questions directly; be as accurate as possible with fortnightly reporting and annual estimates, however it is better to overestimate than under estimate your annual FTB estimate. Your friends may not be on ISP, or they may not have partners with varying income which would mean that they would not need to report fortnightly, did you know that you can also report over the internet instead of calling? And yes, if you are receiving ISP, or receive any other forms of income, you will need to include this in your FTB estimate.

Kamarine and Gigi
The 4 year check needs to be done if you receive FTB and ISP in the FY that your child turns 4. You need to advise CL (via phone or online) that the check has been done by the end of that FY. If you do not do so, your FTBa for that child, may be reduced until you contact CL and advise that it has been completed. There is a factsheet available if you search on centrelink.gov, under 'Healthy Start for School initiative'. You should receive a letter a few months before your child turns four letting you know what is required.

Gigi,
FAO and CL are the same phone number. If you have confirmed (with ATO via their website or by calling) that you are not required to lodge a tax return, than you can advise CL of this. You can do this online or over the telephone - just be prepared to wait at the moment

If you have used self service on the CL website previously, you may be able to answer your secret questions to reset your password - under the logon box there is the 'forgotten your password' link.

**briggsy's girl** · July 6th, 2011, 05:52 PM

so because I dont work we do nothing with them ??

the work study training test incorporates each of these options - so if you are meeting one of them for 15 hours per week, you'll be able to apply for registered child care payment

Hi! I dont really understand my estimation thing i do of dps income. I estimate his entire income for the year but every fortnight i call up and tell them how much hes earnt for the f/n. Is it both of these things that i need to be spot on for? What if i overestimate the f/n calls but underestimate the yearly estimate or vice verca. Also i dont work and i have my income as 15000 i think. I was at one point advised by centrelink that because i wasnt working i wasnt earning an income so i put it as zero, but then i rung them about 2 months later and another person said i owed them money for overpayments for 4 fortnights? So $100 has come out of my payments each fortnight to pay it off. He said there wasnt any other way i could do it, it had to be done that way and it had to be $100. So i think im asking- What am i supposed to be overestimating to avoid a debt, fn calls, yearly estimate or both? And why am i the only one out of all my friends that has to ring up every fortnight? And... Should i really be putting an income down? Does centrelink class government payments as in 'income'?

your annual estimate is just an ESTIMATE - the more accurate you are (always erring on the side of caution and overestimating a little if you can) the more accurate your payments each fortnight are. ultimately, your ftb is an annual entitlement that you have the option of receiving each fortnight to help you to survive.

any income support payment needs to have fortnightly income reported as it is based on ACTUAL income at the time. Income support payments are there to help you out when you're in a pinch, and you need to be accurate with this one. if you over or under estimate your income for a given fortnight when you report, it can be corrected so that you get what you're entitled to in that fortnight

your income ESTIMATE includes all income support payments as well as income from employment/fringe benefits/investment losses/foreign incomes and maintenance PAID. you need to have your income support amount recorded on there

about the non-lodgement thing
i guess this is a "phone morning thing".
is the order, ring ATO first, then FAO? with regard to advising non-lodgement?
I'm assuming i'm meant to tell the FAO i won't be lodging a tax return, not CL?
Not 100% sure why i'm meant to do this, but get the gist from this thread, that i should be doing that.

bilby becomes very demanding when i'm on the phone, like she'll play happily, UNTIL i get a real life human being on the line, and then she is very needy and loud, so i can't hear the real live person, who i've just waited a long time to speak to (on hold). i set her up with activity, food and drink and still she does this.

can i send a written letter to the FAO, advising non-lodgement, to avoid the busy phone period? i cannot remember my CL website passwords, otherwise i would attempt doing it online.

Gigi - you have been single and on income support for all but a week or so - you can notify of non-lodgement using online services, or jump on the phone and do it. all the information that is needed will be available to staff on a call - for online services, you will need to wait until your payment summary from c'link arrives for your PPS

I believe you can download the not required to lodge form from the ATO site if you need to do this one - given you haven't had income for quite some time, you may not need to